That’s what people say, but people tend to forget all it takes is one single person to start ariot. What starts such distention is an object, person or action that goes against that of the crowds ‘what’s right’ code. In this case, it was a personthat was going against moral codes.

This person was crude, disrespectful and an insult to thepokemon trainer name.

There are just some people meant to be given honors, andothers that were meant to stay with the rest of the garbage, and when someonewho wasn’t meant to be crosses a line, it’s up to those of higher superiorityto put them back in their place.

There were five of them total, each wearing rich materialthat was quickly matted to their sweaty bodies and filled with their own bodystench. It mattered little to them. It was an easy replacement, and they wereused to having such luxuries easily replaced. Despite the harsh path they hadchosen, they would continue to be spoiled. It was something that they had beenborn into and walking out into their destinies wouldn’t have their privilege bedenied.

“I want one on each side,” a bold voice said, laced withauthority. He was the leader of this little group. For the moment. “Stay hidden, and don’t startle the pokemon, especially the Cranidos.”

The other four flash each other annoyed looks.

“We are aware of that,” one drawled. “There is no need totreat us like simpletons simply because we find your grudge childish andunnecessary.”

The first boy’s eyes flashed. “Watch your tone,” he growled.“And I know you find that boy repulsive.”

“No, you watch your tone,” another growled back. “We are nolonger bound by the rules of money.” The boy had a dark look. “We are on equalgrounds.”

“At least in the beginning,” another purred. “Until, thatis, we take our step into this oh so great wilderness.”

The first one hissed, face contorted with rage. “No,” he said coldly, “not all are equal in the beginning. Those that were destined tobe great are the first to make an impact. Which one of you fine gentlemenstarted the first act?”

The four of them stared at the fifth with acidic eyes.

“That’s what I thought. Now get into positions…”

(XoX)

“We need to know what else you can do,” Shaun said, the everpresent drawl still there.

Riolu, tired and huffing slightly, turned with a glare. It was clutching its hand to its chest where a bruise was showing through the blue fur right after a particularly hard hit from yet another Geodude. Despite its apparent skill with the fighting move and superb strength, over exposure to the same move for the young starter was proving to be somewhat damaging. Riolu was still low level, and would need much practice, but in the beginning, too much practice would prove to be unbeneficial and even harmful.

“Ri,” Riolu agreed sourly. Yea, that would be nice, if his stupid human could remember what moves he had or even had a cells worth of intelligence.

“Do that fast thing again,” Shaun said. “The one where you battled that Baltoy.”

Exasperated, Riolu took a deep breath and searched a bit. It saw yet another Phanpy and shrugged its shoulder’s a bit. Oh well, more experience.

With yet another deep breath, Riolu’s body tensed, and before Shaun knew it, his pokemon had become a blur of blue and black that shot forward like a bullet. Barely able to even see Riolu’s true shape, he watchedt he blurred form of his pokemon jump from rock to rock in almost no time andslam straight into a very surprised Phanpy.

“Phaaa!” the ground type yelled, body jerking away from theplant it had been eating and go sliding. Its eyes had closed and a few tears escaped, but it did nothing else. With a coughed huff, the Phanpy stayed down.

“One hit… Good.” All those battles had paid off. He almost wished one of those other trainers that had mocked him were here so he could beat their face into the ground. Almost.

“Rioo,” Riolu said proudly, walking over to Shaun and sitting down gingerly, clearly spent.

He would need to go back into his pokeball for a rest or just relax if his trainer wanted him in fit position. There was still so much to this route, and they only had a single potion. Riolu wondered if his trainer would force him to fight every pokemon they had encountered. They had done that so far, save for the pokemon too far on the other cliffs, and Riolu wondered ifhis trainer truly knew what he was doing. Too much battling, with no one to switch out with… they wouldn’t make it. His trainer was resolute to pulverize everything, determined in wanting Riolu to become stronger.

But damn he needed a rest.

“Shiiit,” Shaun breathed, hands in his hair and pulling those black locks. It was a habit, Riolu noticed, that his trainer did when angry or unsure. “Agility? No, I can’t remember. Screw those as*holes for forcing me to do this.”

Riolu licked his lips, unsure by the comment. His trainer fought with a ferocity that he rather liked, and with more practice he would become a good trainer, a great one even, but most of the time… well, all the time, it seemed like his trainer didn’t want to even be one. Why was he even out here then?

“Riol,” Riolu said, shaking his head softly, trying to encourage his trainer. Despite disliking his trainer somewhat, Riolu was at least encouraged to help out his trainer with the belief that when his trainer actually knew more than one attack, they would be even better.

“Yea, I know that’s not it,” Shaun growled angrily, tone snappish. Riolu growled back and turned his head upward with a sniff.

“Hey, rehab reject.”

Both Shaun and Riolu looked up, both with identical looks of annoyance that seemed even more pronounced when they stood side by side with their dark circled eyes. Shaun narrowed his eyes, trying to get a good look at the figure on the cliff directly across from him. There was a long drop between the two, but they were otherwise on equal ground.

“Who are you?” Shaun called out, fists stuffed into his pockets and back straight with aggravation.

The boy’s face twisted into absolute fury, and Shaun honestly had no idea what this kid’s problem was. The only people that would bethis in his face would be those from his home town.

“I’m Andrew!” the boy shouted, completely enraged. “I was the one you were meant to battle!”

Shaun’s face turned lax and a bit uncaring. Turning to his pokemon, Shaun jerked a thumb at the guy. “Sure you don’t have any long ranged attacks?” Again Riolu growled at his trainer. “Geeze.” Raking a hand through his wild hair, Shaun turned back to the fuming trainer. He shifted his body slightly. The only reason this guy would be here would to start a fight, the bitter bastard.

“You have some nerve,” Andrew said coldly, glare unforgiving.

“Don’t blame me,” Shaun said with an uncaring look. “It was that other kid that interrupted us. Who was he, your cousin, right?”

“You started it,” Shaun said boredly, nose scrunching upwith impatience. Riolu looked between the two, not liking that he didn’t know what was going.

Andrew scoffed. “Such a childish and uneducated response,” he drawled. He grinned smugly at Shaun’s annoyed grunt and folded his arms.“And of that of one who doesn’t deserve to be a trainer.”

Shaun didn’t so much as twitch. His dark eyes gazed at theother half closed. “Yea, I remember you saying that before,” Shaun said, drawl matching the others. “But looky here,” he grinned vindictively, even going asfar as to ruffle the fur on Riolu’s head. Riolu gave him an annoyed look. “I am one.”

Again Andrew’s face contorted with rage. “Not for long,” he said lowly, voice dark.

“What, you gonna battle me?” Shaun couldn’t resist taunting the other. “Or,” and his voice grew exceptionally dark and he whipped out his switchblade, much to the other’s shock, “are you going to jump that fifteen feet of empty space and come at me.” He pointed the knife at Andrew’s form, face dead serious. “You don’t know nothing, rich boy,” he growled. “Just get the hell out of here.”

For a moment, Andrew stood stock still, too shocked byShaun’s actions before he finally shook himself of the distress. His eyes flashed and he whipped out a pokeball as fast as a cowboy would whip out a gun.With bright flash of brilliant white light, a small, four legged creature emerged at Andrew’s feet, and Shaun swore at the irony. Of course this lawabider would have a Growlithe.

“That is exactly the reason why people like you shouldn’thave the right to be a trainer, let alone walk the streets!” Andrew yelled.

Alarmed at his master’s anger, the Growlithe jumped at theready, teeth bared at Shaun and growls echoing all around. “Grow!” it snarled,believing Shaun to be the cause of distress.

Riolu, whom had sensed Growlithe’s muscles tensing, hadjumped into a battle position before Growlithe even let out his first growl.“Rii,” Riolu growled, red eyes glaring furiously.

Shaun felt his lip curl in disdain. “You can jump that, right?” he muttered lowly to his pokemon. “If it attacks with a fire attack you need to get close.”

Riolu scanned the area, taking in the actual distance and thehuge drop below. The two had come a long, and rather high, way up the somewhattreacherous mountain. Despite having somewhat weak level pokemon, it was thecliffs, ridges and sudden drops that were dangerous and deadly. The distance between these two paths wasn’t too bad, and even a simple trained Riolu could easily jump it with the help of its powerful legs, but Riolu had never been trained nor had the chance to see how high he could jump.

“Ri,” Riolu said quietly, nodding slightly, believing he could make it. It would be a different manner, however, if the fire pup were tol aunch an Ember attack during mid jump. The thought had obviously passed Shaun’s mind as well because he soon muttered a command to fall back. Too many street fights had taught him to know when to run.

“You really gonna battle like this?” Shaun said quietly, voice deep, knife at his side but still slightly raised. It was all for show, really, but Andrew didn’t need to know that. Just the sight of such a weaponwas enough to frighten anyone.

Andrew stared at Shaun, gaze layered with disgust. “No,” hesaid simply, “but if you don’t turn around right now, we’ll make sure you can’t continue onward.”

The knife in Shaun’s hand rose immediately. We? He looked all over, both tense andangry. “Be on guard!” he barked at his pokemon.

Riolu gave a surprised bark, not at all expecting such harshness being directed at himself, but he did as was told. “Rii,” Riolu muttered, trying with all his might to sense danger. To his distress, the only feeling he got was of hundreds of body movements. He was too young, too unskilled to be able to use his aura in such a way.

“That won’t work,” Andrew said, grinning rathersadistically.

“Back up,” Shaun hissed at his pokemon. “Get out of range!”H e had seen that look too many times. Whether on a terrified kid or a sadistic adult, the look was the same – they would take a life if they had to.

“It won’t help!” Andrew crowed loudly. With an eager grin he put two fingers to his lip and whistled loudly.

Shaun cursed loudly. Four others appeared on differentlevels on Andrew’s side of the mountain. Two were on the level above Andrew, the third a level up, and the fourth standing next to Andrew. All had their pokemon out, and each one could use a long distance attack.

But they were still new pokemon, Shaun thought savagely.There was no way they could reach Shaun and Riolu if they moved far enough. The only problem was there wasn’t much forward and Shaun and Riolu had alreadyplanned on climbing yet another level. If they were to try that now, and a long ranged attack – say an Ember from that damn Growlithe – the two could be falling to their deaths.

The trainer next to Andrew had a Chimchar, the two above them had a Pichu and Mudkip, and the last had an Eevee. That one couldn’t use along range attack, but he had to be there for a reason.

“Hard to believe he got the rarest pokemon in the mix,” the boy with the Eevee called down to the others with a hint of jealousy.

“Treasure in the junkyard,” another said with a laugh. He had a Pichu at his side, cheeks sparking in anticipation. “Poor thing,” he crooned mockingly.

“Poor thing indeed,” the other said, facing his fellow onthe second cliff. He was the one with a Mudkip. “Won’t be trained well at all.”

“Won’t even get the chance now,” the final boy, the onestanding next to Andrew with the Chimchar, said deeply. He looked Shaun up and down. “Trash,” he sneered.

Shaun sneered right back, trying to take in their faces andclothes. They were too far away for true detail, but he could at least see the color of their hair and skin. “Say that to my face,” he hissed.

“Unlike street trash that go head to head, we actually strategize,” Andrew intruded before the boy with the Chimchar could say anything.

“Tch, so you’re just gonna attack us until we fall of thecliff or something?” Shaun called mockingly. “Great plan, ya coward.”

“Another poor guess,” Andrew intoned, “and one with poor imagination.” The other four snickered at Shaun’s expense. “Did you happen to notice how late it’s getting?”

“Getting close to your bed time?” Shaun growled, eyes darting this way and that, desperately trying to find a way out of this. Damn, this was a mountain wasn’t it? Then why weren’t there any caves to run to!

“Hardly,” Andrew drawled, looking as if any insult thatShaun threw at him would be ignored easily, no matter how vulgar or insulting.“It’s very nearly sunset.”

Despite themselves, both Shaun and Riolu glanced up at thesun, taking in the slowly descending sun. In all honesty, Shaun had forgotten night would even come. He was still so out of it, despite getting into battles quite easily, but he had been forced into this. This wasn’t a dream, or even a passing thought, so he had never imagined what a first day of training would be like before he and his pokemon easily made camp and got ready for bed all lovey dovey or some bullsh*t.

“Your point?” Shaun snapped. Damn, this was just like acartoon. The villain always told his prey what they were about to do to them. Atleast in this case, Andrew spilling the beans might just save his life.

“I know what he’s thinking,” the boy with the Chimchar saidwith a grin. He turned to Andrew. “He believes that after you spill your plan like a complete moron, he’ll be able to see some sort of loophole.”

Andrew’s face was tinged with red. He knew the other boy hadjust insulted him. He knew better than to ever reveal every single thing, but hewas craving the chance to brag in front of this piece of trash.

“Then instead of telling, I’ll show him!” Andrew barked, giving the other a warning look. “Luke!” he called, straining his head up totake in the boy with the Pichu, “are they there yet?”

They who? Shaun instantly craned his own neck. He couldn’t see past the edge of the first cliff above him, nor could he see beyond the next levels. Whoever, or whatever, wasup there was now more of a threat. If he knew pokemon training was really this dangerous, he would have stashed a gun with him.

He turned back to the others. They were dead.

“They’re coming!” the boy with the Eevee called down.

None of the boys looked guilty with what they were about todo, but Shaun didn’t expect them to. They would have never rallied together if they had any stray thoughts. Nor would the others let that one join.

“Rii,” Riolu growled, body strained as it tried to sense what was up there. Whatever was up there was heavy. “Lio,” Riolu muttered uncertainly before glaring at the humans and pokemon across from them. If they were withinrange, he would throw them into the ravines like the rest of his opponents.“Riolu!” Riolu howled angrily, prepared for anything they threw at him.

“What a shame,” the boy with the Chimchar commented. “A Riolu is such a rare pokemon. Would you rather not come with me?” the boy tempted to Riolu. “I’ll train you properly and you won’t die with this sad excuse for a trainer.”

Riolu hissed, red eyes murderous.

“Tsk, what a loss,” the boy said with a sigh.

“They’re here!” the Eevee boy shouted gleefully, its pokemonchirping along to alert the others.

And Shaun felt it too. Huge stomps that came from heavyfootsteps. He tried to look everywhere, but there was nothing in sight, andwhen he finally looked up, he still couldn’t see but he knew the source wasthere.

And that was it. Embers, Water Gun and Thundershock soaredabove Shaun. He watched the elements fly by, noticing how much weaker the attacks were at such a far distance. The Thundershock couldn’t even make it halfway across, and to Shaun’s sadistic pleasure the Pichu seemed to have hurtitself during its own attack. The Water Gun had drizzled down to a small stream that still had powerful pressure, and the Embers had nearly sizzled out, butt hat was more than enough for whatever was up there, because a mighty roar thatseemed to shake the entire mountain was soon heard.

“CRANIDOS!”

There were several loud calls, signifying there was more than one of whatever was up there, before the sound of smashing rocks alerted Shaun. He looked up, just in time to see some type of gray dino looking pokemon with a blue head smash right into one of the many large stones on the edge ofthe cliff. It was soon followed by others, and for the first time, as Shaunstared down at the falling boulders, he truly feared for his life.

Shaun stood stock still, knife held limply in his hand. Wasthis really the end? He didn’t believe he was the type to accomplish anythinggreat, but damn it he still had so much to do. He was going to get out of his sh*tty little town eventually on his own terms, get a life or something, and not get involved with inner workings of the slum world. But he couldn’t dothat. Get out of his town on his own terms or something because he was here, forced to be a half assed pokemontrainer that was ready to be squashed like the insignificant bug those rich bastards thought him to be.

Riolu stared gapping as well, but only for a second. His red eyes took in everything, and now instinct and survival was pumping through hisvery being. Screw orders, trainers and whatever else. He had to survive, and even though he hated this, because it always changed everything and he never truly had the chance to train with it properly, Riolu now had no choice. He took a deep breath… and let it out.

Shaun’s pity session honestly felt like forever, but in theface of death a second can feel like an eternity. Thank god it really was just one second. He snapped out of it as he noticed a bright blue glow by side, and although he had no idea how he turned his gaze away from those incoming rocks, he turned to his side.

Riolu was holding his palms close together, a bright blueball of energy in between them. There was an intense look of concentration laced in with the rage, and with a vicious howl of fury, Riolu launched the glowing ball towards the incoming boulders. Upon impact, those that were hit exploded into tiny pieces of debris and dust, but there was still so much more.

“Ke-keep going!” Shaun shouted, voice laced with fear. The urge to throw up overwhelmed him, and for a moment he thought he would do just that, but he held it in, because god damn it he would not be found dead lying in a puddle of his own vomit.

“Rii!” Riolu growled, body humming with energy.

Just mere moments before these damned people showed Rioluhad just wanted to sleep, body too exhausted to do anything. His body was stille xhausted, but now he had no choice but to do something. Or they would die. It was as simple as that. He could smell both his trainer’s and his own fear. Despite their faulty arrangement together, it wasn’t all bad, and for a moment Riolu could see them as a lot alike. Both bitter and dark looking. His red eyes unnerved people and Shaun’s heavy make up gave his eyes an even deadlier look. Both similar, and it brought a strange sense of peace to Riolu, but Riolu knew it was just childish longing, and it disgusted him. Still, he fought.

It wasn’t enough. The Cranidos, furious at the sudden and unbidden attack, continued to smash into rocks, knowing that a human and pokemon was down there. Whether or not they were the cause mattered little tothem. So long as someone paid they would be happy.

Shaun was honestly impressed with how much the little Riolu had managed to block. Dozens of rocks were tumbling down, looking more like a landslide than anything, but the small pokemon continued to fling that blueball thing or smash rocks with Force Palm just before it was about to hit Shaun, but it wasn’t enough. The ground was shaking from the force, and cracks were beginning to form. They weren’t on stable ground, the cliff was going to completely collapse, and Shaun could try and scramble for leverage, but a rockslide would only sweep him away.

“Ri!” Riolu yowled, finally getting hit by one.

Riolu had done spectacular so far, but honestly it was just a matter of time. Too many were pouring down, and now without Riolu to block them Shaun had to dive and roll much more. He scrambled to his pokemon, not sure what he could do to help but he was in the moment now. He was in the state of fear and death, and people tend to cling together when face with death. The same went for pokemon as well.

Another large boulder slammed down, just missing Shaun by inches. If he had been crawling any faster he would surely be dead. But then again, with the way the whole ground around Shaun was cracking and breaking up, he was sure to be dead. The landslide was ready to happen and he still wasn’t ready for it.

“Rioul!” Riolu cried out, rolling out of the way as a boulder almost smashed into him.

Riolu turned with scared eyes towards his trainer. The ground around Shaun was breaking quickly, and with loud crack that shook their very nerves, the ground around Shaun was gone completely, but not in a way they had expected. A gapping hole was now under Shaun, whom was now holding onto the cliff with dear life. There was pure darkness below him. Shaun had honestly thought the mountain was completely solid save the few small caves that he had heard about, but with how dark it was it appeared to be much deeper than that. Not that he was paying attention to something like that.

“Grab me!” Shaun yelled, clawing at the dirt as that two began to crumble. Rocks tumbled by, miraculously not hitting them.

Riolu lunged, paw grasping Shaun’s wrist just as the ground tumbled away. “Ri ri ri,” Riolu panted, holding tightly. He grunted with frustration, already beginning to pull his trainer up, but the sound of cracking filled his ears. Riolu was sure his heart stopped, as well as time itself, because he and Shaun were staring at each other, eyes wide and terrified, before the ground fell apart from under Riolu’s paws, and soon they were falling into the darkness.